1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bins for retaining paper products to be shredded for collection and more particularly to a system and method for monitoring the remaining capacity and operational state of multiple shred bins in locations at one or more sites.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Paper shredders are well known in the art for disposing of paper containing confidential or otherwise sensitive material. Paper is commonly shredded in one of two ways. It can be shredded on site using self-contained portable shredders located on the premises, such as in offices or homes. However, paper is often collected and shipped to a remote location for shredding by larger machines in order to increase efficiency and reduce cost or for security concerns and requirements.
In the latter instance, containers into which paper to be shredded can deposited for collection are located throughout a facility. For example, in a multiple floor office building, containers or multiple containers could be positioned various points or at a central location on each floor or within each office suite. Locations of containers can be spread out in every department and have multiple containers at high use areas. The collection of containers is very time consuming and drivers do not know the specific area where containers are located in every building and every floor. The amount of time needed to locate every container and to empty same is a huge waste of valuable labor and equipment use if the container is not at a high enough fill level. Conventional collection systems do not direct drivers to specific containers and provide their location in a building. Paper deposited in those containers would be collected periodically and sent by vehicle or other means of transport to a remote location for shredding. Today the collection of paper from containers is typically done according to a weekly, biweekly of monthly schedule.
The containers themselves are usually box-like and often referred to as a “shred bin.” The shred bin commonly consists of a cabinet with an internal paper retaining compartment and an entrance slot or opening on or near the top of the cabinet through which paper can be deposited into the compartment. A fabric bag or form fitting plastic insert is placed in the container to catch the paper and as a means to remove the paper from the container. Further, an access door is provided, typically at the front of the cabinet, for removing the paper retained in the compartment. The removed paper is collected and transported to a remote facility for shredding.
Presently, collection vehicles are dispatched to each site where the shred bins are located on a scheduled basis, regardless of whether the shred bins are full to capacity or not. Accordingly, many of the bins will not have been filled to capacity when the contents are collected.
Further, when the scheduled collection occurs, many of the bins may have been full to capacity for some time. Those bins have been unable to accept additional materials and thus have been unusable for that time period.
The present invention is intended to increase the efficiency of the collection of the contents of multiple shred bins by equipping each shred bin with a sensor capable measuring the remaining capacity of the bin compartment and means for ascertaining the operational state of the electronics of the bin. That information is transmitted from the bin, preferably using the Internet, to a remote central monitoring station. At the monitoring station, the capacity and operational information for each of the bins in the system is displayed such that vehicles can be dispatched to the bin sites only when the bins are approaching full capacity or require repair.